This invention was made in the course of or under a contract with the Energy Research and Development Administration. It relates to a method of preparing a high density W--Ni--Fe alloy and more particularly to a method for fabricating articles of such an alloy. The alloy of the present invention is particularly useful for armor penetrating projectiles (penetrators).
Because of its high melting point, density and other physical properties, tungsten is an attractive material for the fabrication of penetrators. Pure W, however, requires high sintering temperature and is entirely too brittle to be effective as a penetrator. It is therefore necessary that W be alloyed with other elements in order to improve its mechanical properties. The present invention provides an alloy of enhanced effectiveness as an armor penetrator.
An armor penetrating projectile (penetrator) is a bullet fabricated of a material with a high penetrating ability and adapted for firing from a rifle or cannon. Penetrators are sometimes sheathed with steel, however, it is generally preferable that they be effective without sheating. Typically, a penetrator is of ordinary oblong bullet shape, elliptical, blunt, or pointed at its leading end and adapted at its trailing end for assembly with its means of propulsion, e.g. a shell casing with explosive charge or a rocket arrangement of the recoilless rifle ammunition type. The measure of effectiveness for a penetrator (its penetrating ability) is the thickness of various armor which may be penetrated by the projectile at a particular velocity. Therefore, the greater the penetrating ability of a penetrator the greater its effective range and the lower the required muzzle velocity.